Bowdoin College tops most connected colleges rankings

By eCampus News staff and wire reports

November 16th, 2012

Technology has exploded in higher education, as new computers, smartphones, and tablets are released that can provide faculty and students better opportunities to teach content and learn new material, U.S. News reports. While technology can potentially improve connections between students and educators, there may still be challenges on the school’s end with providing Internet access and support for all. U.S. News is highlighting colleges and universities that excel in these areas with its first-ever ranking of the Most Connected Colleges. Questions about online services were included in U.S. News’s survey of schools for the 2013 Best Colleges rankings, published in September 2012. Of the 1,471 schools that supplied U.S. News with connectivity data, 278 scored high enough to be numerically ranked. Maine’s Bowdoin College, a National Liberal Arts College, took the No. 1 spot in the inaugural ranking. The school provides its 1,778 students with discounts for laptops, 24-hour computer labs, wireless access from anywhere on campus, Ethernet access in all dorm rooms, and private cloud storage, among other technology offerings…